Farmers take a stand outside Senekal Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The support was in retaliation of the murder of farm manager Brendin Horner. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Broken pieces of police crime scene tape was the only evidence left of the chaos on Tuesday at the Senekal Magistrate’s Court after two suspects linked to the murder of farmer Brendin Horner made their first appearance.
Staff were waiting outside the building for police to give the go-ahead to reopen the court yesterday after the protest on Tuesday, in which a police vehicle was overturned and caught alight. Senekal residents described the protest as a “good thing” but very scary.
One said: “This thing is been going on for so long now. But at the end of the day, we are one nation. We need to stand together and stop the violence. The one moment we are trying to build a relationship and now we need to start from scratch again.”
Guesthouse owner and resident since 1992 Hentie Crauz said: “We have never experienced anything like this.”
Jess de Klerk, a farmer from Paul Roux, said livestock theft was a big problem. He said the community was being terrorised by an organised crime gang stealing livestock on a large scale. More than 100 of his sheep were stolen last year.
“Cases are not properly investigated and the livestock theft unit is undermanned.”
Kallie Roux, one of the organisers of Unite Against Farm Murders/Attacks, said another protest would take place this weekend.
“These awareness marches will continue in courts as well as peaceful marches in the cities against farm murders/attacks.”
On Saturday, vehicles, trucks and motorcycles would go to Union Buildings in Pretoria where there would be prayers for farmers.
“We have had enough, we have taken a stand. How many more innocent farmers still need to be so brutally attacked and senselessly killed?
“A police car went through after shock grenades were thrown into the crowd in an attempt by Public Order Police to drive out angry farmers [on Tuesday]. The police car was not set on fire, but caught alight after fuel and oil started running out of the vehicle as it lay on its side.”
– marizkac@citizen.co.za
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